Welcome to Fringe!
Fringe isn’t just a Festival. It’s a movement that champions independent artists and makes artistic expression possible.
The Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals (CAFF) powers a grassroots network of 32 open-access Festivals across North America, working together to support independent artists and nurture the vibrant communities that champion them.
Together, our Festivals sell more than 400,000 tickets to more than 10,000 performances performed by more than 6,500 Artists each year. Collectively, our Festivals annually generate nearly $50 million in economic impact and return more than $5 million in ticket revenue directly to artists.
We are a do-it-yourself community whose big dreams accomplish so much – proof that when communities invest in creativity, everyone thrives.
If this is your first Fringe Festival, consider this your enthusiastic invitation to fringe with us.
Try something new. Fringe is the perfect place to take a chance on the unexpected. See a show (or five! Or ten!). Sometimes it’s brilliant. Sometimes it’s bizarre. Sometimes it changes you.
Artists deserve bold audiences. Every ticket you buy directly supports independent artists taking creative risks.
Stories bring people together. In times of celebration. In times of uncertainty. In the messy, beautiful unknown between.
Fringe Festivals matter. From small towns to major cities, you can find a Fringe in nearly every province, territory, and state – each one powered by the same radical belief that storytelling belongs to everyone.
If you believe in what Fringe makes possible, please support your local Fringe Festival. Buy a ticket. Donate. Volunteer your time. Spread the word. Champion the artists who bravely tell their stories.
Because Fringe isn’t just something you attend. It’s something you help create.
Happy fringing,
Megan Dart
President, Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals